Stay up to date with news & special offers

AT HOME | a blog by Joanna Gaines

Episode 03 - The Tree House

This 1960’s home seemed unbalanced at best, yet sat on the perfect lot in a great neighborhood, which the clients were drawn to immediately. Nicknamed the “Tree House”, this house was surrounded by beautiful trees, providing both shade and privacy and making the house seem peaceful and homey. Chip and Jo were thrilled the clients chose this house and set to work making it their client’s dream home.

The first request the clients had was to add a garage. In the end, the garage ended up balancing the exterior of the house so that it wasn’t so heavy on the left side. The siding was updated, and new windows, redwood accents, rock and landscaping were all added to give the house a total face lift. The exterior was repainted, and a new railing was installed on the balcony which provided the final touches.

Inside, the layout was choppy, and the color choices were not appealing to the clients, who preferred wide open spaces. Because the couple enjoyed hosting and entertaining family and friends, Joanna hoped to expand the kitchen into the living space. Two load bearing walls were removed in order to open up the dining, kitchen, and living room. Internal headers were installed to add structural support to the house in place of the old walls. The kitchen was designed with new cabinetry, leathered black granite, a white Carera marble tile backsplash, new light fixtures, and all new appliances.

In the dining room, the ceilings were vaulted to create a more dramatic look. The dining area was cut in half, making room for an office because her client worked from home. White cabinets were installed to brighten the room, which created a clean and simple space.

The client wanted a tile that resembled wood flooring in the living spaces, because they anticipated their kids tracking wet feet in from the pool in the backyard. Joanna incorporated cedar accents to tie into the flooring and exterior. The fireplace was also refinished with a stone to match the exterior. Even though the the clients chose several gray accents throughout the home, Joanna wanted to make sure the house still felt warm and inviting. She added several wood accents like beams, the mantel, and vent hood, which helped warm up the space.

The biggest renovation of the home happened in the master suite. Two existing bedrooms were merged into one large bedroom, bathroom, and master closet. The master bedroom was painted gray, along with the rest of the living spaces.

One of the aspects of the home the clients disliked most was the brick wall in the backyard. However, instead of tearing it down, Joanna wanted to repurpose the wall. She added new brick that complemented the old brick and painted the wall the same color as the house. In addition, Joanna added several awnings and floating shelves to add interest and break up the wall space. Clint from Harp Design Co. created a table for the outdoor entertaining space as well. This once raggedy, purposeless wall now serves as a fun entertaining spot for the client’s family.

In the end, the house became a place for the family to enjoy each other and host family and friends. The garage addition created balance to the exterior and Joanna was able to incorporate many elements from the exterior inside as well. The soft walls and wood accents added the perfect touches to the Tree House home!